Yeah I don't know about that. I guess it depends on where you live and which trade. I always figured by not going to college I had probablhy fucked myself.
At age 21, I got into the Lineworkers Union. Being in California, pay has increased from $110,000 net first 12 months (so my fiscal starting point), to $150,000 the next. I suspect this year I'll hit well over $200,000. It has a lot to do with overtime and triple/quadruple pay rules in California as well as danger pay during storms and such.
In the end, I average about 53/H a week at years end with a month and a half off. It's not as comfy as making $80-90k in an office engineering or stuff, but it's not backbreaking terrible. I enjoy being outside and traveling to different parts of the state, and it's really on 3-4 real works hours in a day, everything else it just set up, drive time, safety talks, etc.
Maybe I have the shitty deal, but I already paid off a small one acre lot in rural NorCal. California people with degrees talk to me like I'm an ape because I work in the trades.
W/e guys, enjoy your degrees. I don't have debt and in ten years I'll be close to 700-800k in funds. Might just quit around thirty five and do some gardening/woodworking for a little bit of side income. In the end all I want is to have guaranteed free time for the rest of my life, and if I can achieve that by 35 living in a small but comfy house I'll take it.